BEDS OF ROSES
The enduring love affair we have with roses is strong. From the best smelling to the thornless, here’s our top 20 picks of the bunch
The top 20 roses ranked for fragrance, easy-care, thorn-free and more
Fossil evidence shows the rose to be an ancient flower – about 35 million years old, in fact. From Central Asia it spread throughout the northern hemisphere – America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East – evolving into an estimated 150 species. All but one of these species roses had single flowers with just five petals. Today these species roses are still around, but in the 5000 years since it was first cultivated in China, breeding has created at least 30,000 varieties – some with more than 100 petals. And although they come in myriad shades and colours, the search continues for that elusive true blue one. Here are some of our favourites.
The easy care
Low-growing carpet roses took the gardening world by storm at the start of this century. Most roses are easy-care and drought tolerant and although they might look like a Persian carpet, they act more like a doormat, putting up with no end of neglect and mistreatment. They flower for a long time and super abundantly, come in a range of colours, and are pretty much free from disease.
The enduring popularity of Iceberg is partially based on its uncomplaining nature but also on its profusion of gorgeous medium-sized, semi-double icy white blooms, which are sometime tinged with the palest of pinks. Pair them with box hedging for a retro fin de siecle look.
For a rose to plant and tend no more, the disease-resistant climber Seduction is fabulous. Its blooms are the palest soft yellow with smudgy pink bands and its vigour in growth is matched only by that of its ability to keep on producing flowers.
Flowery as
All summer long, the beautiful Ballerina bears many, large trusses of small, dainty single flowers. The pink flowers of this hybrid musk rose have white centres, prominent golden stamens and a light and pleasant scent. A favourite since the 1930s when it was introduced.
“Famed for their longevity as a cut flower, Just Joey is also visually stunning, and like all the best roses, has a good fragrance as well.”
MARY LOVELL-SMITH
The two-toned
Scentimental’s blooms are creamy white splashed, splattered and striped with burgundy and a strong spicy scent. This floribunda is as vigorous and free-flowering as it is showy. We love it.
Perfect Moment is perfect for those who like their roses flashy, real flashy. The big svelte buds on this hybrid tea unfurl to reveal harlequinworthy sunny yellow and lipstick-red petals on a compact bush. Very mid-century modern.
The fragrance is light and fruity.
Like the paintings of Paul Gauguin, the blooms of this eponymic hybrid tea are a profusion of warm tones, of coral, red, yellow brushed, splashed, freckled and striped. Always beautiful, even as they fade with age, they are produced prolifically and for long periods on a vigorous bush.
Not as colourful as the artist’s canvases but the rose that bears Henri Matisse’s name is as appealing as his works. The large floribunda blooms are dark cerise splashed in white in a rather painterly manner. The curious fragrance has tasty notes of raspberry.
“Not as colourful as the artist’s canvases but the rose that bears Henri Matisse’s name is as appealing as his works.”
MARY LOVELL-SMITH
Pretty as
French Lace is as charming as its name suggests. Its sweet-smelling, delicately wrought blooms are cream with a breath of apricot at their hearts. And supporting all this Gallic elegance is a strong, sun-loving bush.